The Puppetmaster
by Kataang1337
Summary: A slightly different version of the ending in The Puppetmaster.Aang gets stabbed by Sokka's sword.Kataang and slight Tokka.Oneshot.


In The Puppetmaster, when Hama Bloodbends Aang and Sokka towards each other, Sokka's sword was pointed right at Aang. Katara stopped Hama in time. But what if she didn't?

* * *

"NOO!" Katara yelled as Sokka's sword flew towards Aang. She had to do it. There was no other choice. Katara raised her hands, stretching out at Hama. But it was too late. Sokka's sword had already stabbed Aang in the chest. As Hama's body stiffened, Sokka, who had regain control of himself, pulled his bloodstained sword away from Aang. He stared horrified at his sword, an extension of his arm, as Master Piandao called it. Aang swayed on the spot for a moment before collapsing onto the ground.

"What did I just do?" Sokka muttered disbelievingly. He could not accept the fact that he had just impaled his friend with the sword in his hands. Aang lay motionlessly in a growing pool of blood.

"I won't let you hurt anyone else again." Tears flowed from her eyes as Katara slowly brought her hands down. Hama was forced down onto her knees, still struggling against Katara's control. Hama looked up at Katara with a grimly satisfied smile.

The sound of heavy footsteps announced the arrival of Toph and the prisoners. After Hama's hands were safely bound by shackles, Katara released Hama, running over to Aang.

"Aang…" Katara sobbed. She dropped to her knees, holding the Airbender in her arms. Blood was still pouring out of the wound.

"You're going to be locked away forever." One of Hama's former prisoners told Hama, dragging her away.

"My work is done." Hama said calmly, turning to look at Katara. "Congratulations, Katara. You're a Bloodbender." Hama let out an evil laugh as she was brought away. Katara cried harder.

"No…" Katara whispered. "NO!" She shrieked as she got up, gathering all the water she could, sending a huge torrent of water at Hama. Hama was knocked to the ground, still laughing. While Hama got to her feet, Katara threw a few ice daggers at her. Toph sensed it and raised a wall to block Hama.

"You don't have to become a murderer for _her_." Toph reminded Katara. "Twink—Aang needs your help now." It occurred to Toph that this wasn't a time for nicknames. She could feel that Aang was getting weaker.

Katara rested Aang's head on her lap, bringing water onto her hand to heal the Avatar. As a tear landed on Aang's cheek, he groaned and opened his eyes a little. This reminded Katara of what happened after Ba Sing Se.

"Aang." Katara hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry."

"It…it isn't…your fault." Aang said weakly.

"It's my fault." Sokka spoke up. "I'm sorry, Aang. If it wasn't for me…none of this would have happened." Sokka hurled his sword away as hard as he could. The meteor sword struck into the trunk of a tree. Sokka turned away and walked off in the opposite direction.

"Katara…I…want to ask you…something…" Aang moaned.

"What is it, Aang?" Katara pulled away, looking at him.

"If…if I die…"

"DON'T SAY THAT! You're not going to die!" Katara told him firmly.

"But…if I do die…will you still think of me?" Aang looked right into Katara's blue eyes, the gateway to her soul. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "I would never be able to forget about you…even if I tried." Aang smiled feebly.

"I will never forget about you too." Katara wiped the tears out of her eyes. "But don't you dare die." She added sternly.

"That's all I wanted to hear." With all his remaining strength, Aang sat up.

"Aang! What are you—" Katara was cut off by Aang's sudden kiss. Before she could react, Aang fell backwards, clutching his wound which had started bleeding again.

"Come on. Let's get back to the inn. You need to rest." Katara said hastily, helping Aang to his feet.

* * *

"Er…Sokka, I think you forgot this." Toph said quietly, holding out the sword that Sokka had thrown.

"I don't want it." Sokka looked away. He felt ashamed of himself. The sword had been his prized possession. He was always proud to own it. But now, Sokka just couldn't look at it without feeling guilty.

"Are you sure you don't want it?" Toph asked with a hint of slyness.

"Nice try, Toph." Sokka sighed. "But it won't work." He gazed up at the moon, something that he usually did when he was troubled.

"Look Snoozles, it isn't your fault that Aang got hurt." The blind Earthbender told him fiercely.

"No, it is." Sokka replied grimly. "You weren't there to see it. If Katara hadn't stopped Hama, I…I could have…" The Water Tribe warrior gulped. "Killed Aang." He finished in a low voice.

"The fact is, you didn't." Toph emphasized.

"You don't understand. I was so helpless. It was like my body had a mind of its own. I…I could only watch myself pierce my sword into Aang…" Sokka buried his face in his hands.

"It's alright." Toph patted him comfortingly on the back. "As you said, there was nothing you could do. You would have stopped it if you knew how to."

After a long silence, Sokka finally looked up. "How's Aang?"

"He's doing fine. When I left, he was locking lips with Sugar Queen." Toph replied casually.

"Oh…that's good…" Sokka said absentmindedly. Toph nodded her approval. Then, Toph's last sentence sank in.

"HE WHAT?" Sokka turned to glare at Toph, who was smirking. The guilt of hurting Aang was instantly replaced with anger and shock.

"Wait…you said that just to get my attention, didn't you?"

"So what?" Toph answered aggressively. "What are you going to do about it?" She "stared" at Sokka, as if daring him to fight with her.

"Nothing." Sokka muttered. "For a moment, I thought it was true…"

"_It was to get your attention, but why would that mean it wasn't true?"_ Toph silently mocked Sokka.


End file.
